Goldstar Air gets two- year free landing in U.S.A

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Goldstar Airlines, Eric Bannerman, has appealed to the government to grant Ghanaian airline operators some privileges and waivers which will cushion them against their foreign competitors and give them a head start as they try to get a footing in the local aviation market.

Speaking at the commissioning of the airline’s head office at Ashaley Botwe, Accra, he expressed his appreciation to the authorities of Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport and Providence International Airport all in the USA for accepting to give Goldstar Air two years of free landing, parking, office space at the airport and taking care of our adverts,” Bannerman announced.

Continuing, the CEO said the offer of free landing parking and office space to Goldstar Air at some of these international airports it plans flying to, in the United States of America (USA), is very significant. In the absence of these incentives, he opined, the airline will have to struggle to catch up with the competitors.

Explaining further, he added that these fees are paid by all aircraft whether private, corporate or commercial that lands at any airport must pay a landing fee. The fees fall under the category of runway charges at the airport and also includes take-off fees in addition to those charged when a plane remains on the ground at an airport, usually for longer than a two-hour turnaround time. Landing fees are based on maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of a plane, which is based on the ratings specified by the aircraft manufacturer.

Specifically, Mr. Bannerman mentioned Mr Tony Storck, Director Air Service Department and Strategic Analysis of Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport and Mr Tim Pimental, Assistant Vice President Air Service Development of Providence International Airport all in the USA for this tremendous support and incentives Goldstar Air is receiving from the American authorities and therefore appealed to the Ghana government to grant same or twice the incentives Goldstar Air, the Ghanaian owned airline is receiving from the American authorities.

He said Goldstar was adequately prepared for a take-off during 2017 summer and its operations would create about five thousand direct and indirect jobs.

In a speech read on her behalf by a representative of the Aviation Ministry, sector Minister Cecilia Dapaah, said government was willing to support the new airline because of the critical role the aviation industry sector will play in revamping the country’s economy with respect to opening up its agriculture, trade and tourism for further growth and development .

Dapaah said government’s policy is to develop Ghana as an international hub for international and regional operations by working with the private sector to provide a modern and attractive air transport infrastructure.